Grip for golf clubs and the like



M 31, 1934. L. A. YOUNG 1,968,064

GRIP FOR GOLF CLUBS AND THE LIKE Filed May 9, 1932 Ema-7235!? INVENTORLand/"4A You/27 ATTORN EY Patented July 31, I934 lean on GOLF CLUBSANDTHE LIKE Leonard A. Young, Detroit, Mich. V .Application May 9, 1932,Seria1N0. 610,039

' '7 -Claim's; (c1. 27s'--si) lvl'y prescnt'invention relates to gripsfor golf club. shafts and the like'such as described in my copendingapplications, Serial No. 547,498 filed June-29, 1931, and SerialNos.561,317 and 561,318, filed September 5,'1931,and it is an adaptationand in some respects an improvement upon the inventions illustrated insaid applications. The present application is a continuation in part ofmyapplication Serial No. 547,498 referred to The main objects of theinvention are:

First, to-provide an improved grip for golf club shaftsand the likewhich can be very easily applied to the shaft and results in a uniformdurable grip which has a very satisfactory feel and does not becomeslippery, even when wet.

Second, to provide a grip having these advantages which is attractive inappearance.

Objects pertaining to details and economies of my invention will appearfrom the description to follow. The invention is defined. and pointedout in the claims.

A structure which is a preferred embodiment of my invention is clearlyillustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view of a golf club shaft embodying myinvention, portions thereof being broken away and shown in longitudinalsection.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view' of the grip.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the foundation strip.

Fig. 4 is' a plan view of the leather covering strip.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse section taken .on a line correspondingto line 55 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged transverse section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a similar section taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the foundation strip.

Referring to the drawing, numeral 1 indicates the tapered golf clubshaft of steel tubing, the outer end of which is provided with a cap ortip piece 2 secured thereto which is disclosed and claimed in Patent No.1,764,800, dated June 17, 1930.

The grip comprises a foundation strip 3 which is uniformly tapered bothin Width and in thickness longitudinally from end to end. The strip 3 isprovided with a longitudinal rib 4, the face of which is flat and formedso as to provide square shoulders 5 at each sidethereof. The shouldersare of the depth corresponding to the thickness .of the leather coveringstrip 6.

The foundation strip 3 is wound spirally upon the shaft with the severalturns thereof in edge to edge relation and tightly wound and secured tothe shaft 1. spirally wound upon the'foundation strip 3, the edges ofthe covering strip being in abutting relation or closely fitting theshoulders 5 of the rib 4. l 1

lhe foundation strip 3 is preferably formed of a thin fabric 7 having amixture of rubber or other adhesive and finely ground cork 8 appliedthereto. A practical way to produce the foundation strip 3 is to skivethe face to form the rib i. The foundation strip is uniformly taperedboth in width and thickness. The rib is tapered in width to correspondto the tapered width of. the main portion of the strip so that when thefoundation strip is spirally wound upon the tapered shaft 5 the tendencyfor the leather covering strip 5 'to turn up at the edges is obviated asis the tendency for the foundation to buckle or produce unevenness.

If desired, both the leather covering strip 6 and the foundation strip 3may be tapered, but it is unnecessary to taper the covering strip if thefoundation strip and its facing rib are properly tapered in the mannerdescribed above.

My improved grip presents a uniformly tapered exterior from end to endand at the same time has the advantage of presenting the effectivegripping composite surface of the leather and the cork. The foundationcan be wound upon the tapered shafts without undue stress which wouldtend to break or crack this composition foundation as it lays and fitssmoothly on the shaft, and also the covering strip can be wound spirallybetween the raised ribs and lies smooth with its edges in close abuttingrelation to the edges of the raised portion.

It should be understood that I have not attempted in the accompanyingdrawing to show the parts in their relative proportions; that is, thematter of the thickness of the taper, the diameter of the shaft and thelength of the strips, but this disclosure will enable those skilled inthe art to adapt my improvements as may be desired. It is obvious thatvarious changes and modifications may be made in the details ofconstruction and design of the above specifically described embodimentsof my invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changesand modifications being restricted only by the scope of the followingclaims.

Having thus described my invention what I The leather covering strip 6is I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with a tapered golf club shaft, of a grip thereforcomprising a foundation strip of fabric having a mixture or rubber andfinely ground cork applied thereto of uniformly tapered width andthickness and having a centrally disposed longitudinal rib of uniformlytapered width and thickness spirally wound on said shaft with theseveral wrappings edge to edge, and a strip of leather wrapped upon saidfoundation between the adjacent convolutions of the rib thereof.

2. The combination with a tapered shaft, of a grip therefor comprising afoundation strip of fabric having finely ground cork applied thereto ofuniformly tapered width and thickness and having a centrally disposedlongitudinal rib of uniformly tapered width spirally wound on said shaftwith the several wrappings edge to edge, and a strip wrapped, upon saidfoundation between the adjacent convolutions of the rib thereof.

3. The combination with a tapered shaft, of a grip therefor comprising afoundation strip of finely ground cork applied thereto of uniformlytapered width and thickness and having a centrally disposed longitudinalrib of uniformly tapered width spirally wound on said shaft with theseveral wrappings edge to edge, and a strip wrapped upon said foundationbetween the adjacent convolutions of the rib thereof.

4. The combination with a tapered shaft, of a grip therefor comprising afoundation strip of finely ground cork applied thereto of uniformlytapered width and thickness and having a centrally disposed longitudinalrib spirally wound on said shaft with the several wrappings edge toedge, and a strip wrapped upon said foundation between the adjacentconvolutions of the rib thereof.

5. The combination with a tapered shaft, of a grip therefor comprising afoundation strip of granular cork with suitable binder, said foundationstrip being of uniformly tapered width and thickness and having alongitudinally disposed rib of uniformly tapered'width spirally wound onsaid shaft with the several wrappings edge to edge, and a strip ofleather Wrapped upon said foundation strip between the ribs and coveringthe edges of the foundation strip.

6; The combination with a tapered shaft, of a grip comprising afoundation strip of uniformly tapered width and thickness and having acentrally disposed longitudinal rib of uniformly tapered width, saidfoundation strip being spirally wound on said shaft with the severalwrappings edge to edge, and a spirally disposed strip of leather woundupon the foundation with the convolutions of the'leather between theconvolutions of the rib, the face of the. rib being of cork.

7. The combination with a shaft, of a grip comprising a foundation striphaving a centrally disposed longitudinal rib, said foundation stripbeing spirally wound on saidshaft with the several convolutions edge toedge, and a spirally disposed strip of leather wound upon the foundationwith the convolutions of the leather overlapping the abutting edges ofthe foundation and fitting between the adjacent convolutions of the ribthereof.

LEONARD A. YOUNG.

